Bulaq adds here: "and religions, even including
the various (manifestations of) prophecy that are mostly to be
found there, in as much as no historical information about
prophetic missions in the southern and northern zones has come
to our notice. This is because only those representatives of the
(human) species who have the most perfect physique and character
are distinguished by prophets and messengers. The Qur'an says
[3.110 (106)], 'You are the best group (ever) produced for
mankind.' The purpose of this is to have the divine message of
the prophets fully accepted."

The available MSS, including E, do not have this
passage, which apparently was deleted by Ibn Khaldun very early
as superfluous, in view of such later remarks as those below,
pp. 169and 173.

Cf. the translation of Avicenna's poem by K.
Opitz in Quellen and Studien zur Geschichte der
Naturwissenschaften and der Medizin, VII(1939), 162, vv. 50-51. The same
work appears to have been the subject of a study by H. Jahier
and A. Noureddine, in IVe
Congres de la Federation des Societes de Gynecologie et
d'Obstetrique (1952), pp. 50-59, and
of a new edition and translation by the same authors, published
in 1956.

On the subject of the origin of the black and the
white colors of skin, cf. also Rasa'il
Ikhwan as-safa' (Cairo, 1347/1928), I,
233 f.

Cf.
Qur'an 33.62 (62); 35.43 (41); 48.23 (2s). The last sentence is
also often translated, "You will not find any change in God's
way." The translation given in the text appears to represent the
meaning as intended by the Prophet. It would be difficult to be
certain about Ibn Khaldun's understanding of the passage. Qur'an
commentators, such as al-Bayjawi, combine both translations.